On Bible Bookstores

Since we’re coming up on Memorial Day, take time to say thanks to a vet for being willing to keep America free. Freedom isn’t free by any stretch. Also take time to thank God Almighty for living in a free country, and pray for America. She needs all the prayers she can get right now.

I’m not going to comment on the idiocy regarding “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” at this point in time. Suffice it to say that I’m hideously disappointed, as a Vet, that this is even being rammed through-and down-the throats of America’s fighting men and women.  

No, today I’m remembering something else. 

This morning, I was wandering around one of the last remaining Christian bookstores in the local area. (I went to where one had been in West Eugene yesterday, only to discover it was long gone.) I was looking for a few books that might help me in my dissertation work. 

No such luck. (I’m not surprised. I suspected this would be the case as I’m looking for some pretty specialized, denominational type books, not just general stuff.) 

But it also got me to thinking about the demise of bookstores in general, and the Bible Bookstore in particular. You remember Bible Bookstores, don’t you?

When I first became a Christian, they were somewhat more numerous. They carried a little music (the bigger ones actually had a music section), reference tools, some rather predictable novels and books by well known preachers, church supplies, gospel tracts, VBS materials, hymnals for general use, Bible studies, and Bibles. In those days, your choice was the King James, the Revised Standard Version, the New American Standard, and maybe the New International Version. (They also carried the most amazing amount of junk with a Jesus sticker slapped on it.) 

Then there was a sort of Christian publishing revolution. Christian self-help, Christian novels and fiction, and so forth sprung forth. Reference tools started disappearing. The music sections got larger (and the music got better). Study Bibles started exploding out of nowhere. VHS tapes started showing up, and even the junk with Jesus stickers got better. Christian publishers got bought by mainstream publishers, as did Christian recording labels. And that’s when they became a bigger business, quit being Bible Bookstores, and became Christian bookstores.

Then something odd happened. Bible studies started going the way of the reference tools. The same can be said of gospel tracts. The music started changing, keeping more “modern” sounds. (Some of which I like, some I don’t.) VHS tapes were replaced by DVD’s, and the stories keep getting better, as do the production values. (Actually, that’s A Good Thing.) There are Christian computer programs that have reference and study helps. Christian Fiction has taken over, most of it geared to women. Christian self help is pretty good sized, too. Some stores even look like Christian gift boutiques. This is no great surprise; I asked the young lady behind the counter about a year ago about this and her reply was “basically, women do most of the reading and shopping in these stores anymore.” Of course they do...most men aren’t comfortable going into a place with a more feminine touch. 

Here’s a clue, kids--most men I know don’t wear scarves (Christian or otherwise), and would like a t-shirt that fits them. You know, like in sizes XL or bigger. Even I take an XL, and “tall” or “stout” are not terms used to describe me terribly often. And when all the books for men are clumped together with books on finances, on one rack (one rack=four shelves), you kind of get the picture that men have become something of an afterthought. 

You want study Bibles? They have them in very flavor going, in more translations than I think is safe. In fact, I saw two Bibles today that made me feel like I can die now because I’ve seen it all: The “American Patriot’s Bible” and a waterproof NIV. (“Perfect for beach/pool, bathtub, missions, vacations, sports.”) Somehow, spending time in the shower with the Word of God seems wrong to me. I understand His Word cleanses us...but I don’t think that’s quite what He meant. (On the other hand, I can see a use for this in a baptismal service.) 

Now I know that there’s lots of reference tools online. (Studylight.org is a great example of that.) And I know that a lot of books can be bought online from places like eBay, Amazon, CBD and Cokesbury. Ultimately, I will end up going that route.  

But there was something...different...about those stores. Not that they were holy, but there was a sense of being about the Father’s business (or at least, being in His Presence) when you walked in. These places were calm, almost tranquil. (I remember one in Concord; it felt like God had His Presence there. Since it was two doors down from the local porn theatre, He probably did.)   

Enough for Now.

On Spring Football and why it's odd to me

I went to the Spring football game for Oregon today. Since they were honoring vets, and since the barbershop chorus I sing in was singing the “Armed Forces Medley” at the half, I actually needed to go. A class touch: at the end of the game, the players gave their game jerseys to some deserving vets. I felt that much was classy, as was honoring the vets at the half.

But there’s something I don’t get: Why is there a football game in the spring?

Now, I’m not that dumb. I understand why there are spring college football games. I understand that the NCAA allows so many practice sessions in the spring, under the thinly veiled guise of the players being “student-athletes.” I understand the concept of having a simulated game, to see how players are progressing. And I understand opening said game to the throngs of football fans (25,000 plus turned out today!), even for just a few cans of food for Food of Lane County, is a PR thing.

I even understand that it’s a big marketing thing. People will be buying season tickets soon, if they aren’t already.

But that doesn’t really answer my question: Why is there a football game in the spring? The way they do this, is that it is a “medium contact” game, with limited hits to the QB, no sacks, shorter quarters (although I understand that was for the ESPN folks), and a chance to see that Oregon’s kickers need some work. (Actually, they need a lot of work.)

So why bother? It’s not that I’m not in favor of the Ducks; I am. It’s not that I don’t like football; although I have been heard to utter the immortal words of Dr. Harry L. Dinkle, The World’s Greatest Band Director: “Football fields are for band practice!” It’s not even that I think it’s silly to play a football game in the middle of baseball season--although to me it is, really.

I guess it’s that, if they are going to make this like a real game, then let’s really do it right. Let ‘em play like they were playing a real opponent, like say, OSU or UW. Play 15 minute quarters. Get real refs on the field, and not an ESPN commentator in a zebra suit. Sell tickets for $5 or $10. (Food donations should still be allowed, and in fact, made mandatory.) Let them sack the QB at least once a quarter. Heck, make them play at night under the lights. In short: Let ‘em play under real life conditions, and quit wasting their time.

Otherwise, this is just a glorified practice, and really doesn't prove much at all.

Enough for now.

On the iPad

So I had five minutes to play with an iPad on the day of release, and another ten minutes to play today. It’s an interesting piece of work, and will doubtless continue to have a throttlehold on the news over the next week or so. You’re not sure if this thing is worth the money and effort.

That’s a good question.

Now, my electrogeekness can tell you the same things that you can read online. It’s a pound and a half, sleek, fast, and in a fairly short period of time will have apps out the wazoo. (Technically it does already, as it will run all the apps that my iPod does, and that an iPhone does if you wait for the 3g model.)

That’s not what you want to know.

I can tell you that it doesn’t run Flash (and if you don’t know what that does, that’s okay), it does have a productivity suite, and watching movies will be fun, along with all those books you said you wanted to read. The iPad is designed to be a media center. Books, music, games, a little letter writing or note taking, and checking your e-mail is what this is designed for.

You knew that already, I suspect.

I should tell you about prices, add-ons, and a hundred other things--all designed to protect and enhance your using experience.

I won’t, because you can look that up yourself.

No, the real question you want an answer to is “Do you think I should get one?” The simple answer to that is that there isn’t a simple answer. If you have a laptop...maybe not. You with laptops will want to pause and think about it.

But if you have a desktop computer, such as an HP or iMac, the answer is yes, you want one. If you’re thinking about a netbook, get this instead as I think you’ll be much happier with it. If you’re under 30, a tech person or Apple fanboy (or fangirl), and need to be on the leading edge, yes, and you may already have yours in hand. (If so, congratulations.)

If you’re over 65 and travel a bit, you might like it as well. Plane flights are long boring things anymore, and this will be a fun thing to have to play solitaire, read a book, watch a movie, and compose a letter to Aunt May. (Wi-fi is limited on many flights, even now, so you may not be able to surf the web or check e-mail from 15.25 KM, or 50,000 feet-whichever comes first.) The iPad is easy to use, lightweight, easy to maintain, and will serve you in good stead.

For those of us between 30-65, however, it might be a different story. Many of us have laptops we like. Money is a bit tight, especially for those of us with families to deal with. (Although you might want one for the slightly older child to use while on a long road trip.) I won’t be getting one, at least for now. Part of it is cost; the one I want is nearly $900. It has 64 GB memory and 3G capability. (Anything less then 32 GB of memory is a joke to me.) Here’s the other part.

I have a MacBook that I have updated to Snow Leopard, the most recent iWork and iLife suites, and dropped 2GB more RAM into it, for a total of 4GB RAM. (It is indeed like having a new MacBook.) It goes many places I do, because I work online. If I were able to go to Director’s College this year I would want my MacBook, as I can use my iPod to record the lectures and classes-and then simply transfer those to the MacBook at day’s end. However...an iPad would have been nice to have in Hawai’i last summer, as opposed to the MacBook, as it weighs less and eats less room in a carry-on. I was on vacation and thus only checking work e-mail once daily. (It was during an enrollment period for a program I help oversee.) Plus, since weight is at a premium on any flight, not having the MacBook allows me to pack stuff in my carryon I might actually need to bring.

That’s my take on the iPad. Right now I can see all kinds of potential. Several years down the road I can see a number of students getting one, downloading their books for courses, taking notes in lectures, and even writing papers with it. In three to six months from now as more apps are made specifically for the iPad, it becomes a better piece of gear. If you can wait until, say, summer--or better yet, Christmas--you will have a nifty tablet that you’ll be able to customize and really make worth the purchase.

Enough for now.

On Visiting the Mothership

On a recent trip home to Concord, I had the opportunity to go to Cupertino, where the Apple campus is located.

Well, okay. In all fairness, I had to talk my beautiful and charming bride into stopping as we went to visit her aunt in Half Moon Bay. But as I was going with her to work on a few items on her aunt’s Mac, I figured this was as good a chance as any. And after being left on my own for better than five hours there with what seemed like little to do at the time, she bought me dinner as well as my lunch expense. Not bad for a day’s semi-work.

Now it’s no secret that I am working on becoming Apple Certified in a number of things. I have already been certified in iLife, and am working on both iWork and Mac OS X support. While I will never write a lot of code or build new hardware, it will be a good backup in case the economy tanks again or further. But it isn’t something I can pursue in earnest; quite frankly it isn’t cheap and it takes time and I am short of both of those kinds of resources. On the other hand, I can earn much of it back in a few repair and update jobs, if and when that time comes.

Now you need to understand that from Concord, Cupertino is a good hour plus away and wasn’t exactly on our way. But we had plenty of time, and Deena really was a good sport about this. When we got there, we drove around a bit the campus, which is huge. We walked in the front entry, looked around, and walked out as we would need an ID badge to go any further. (You can see some pictures here. I can't say I took them, however.) The only thing that we could determine that was open to the public was the Company Store. There, along with all the usual suspects of Macdom that I could just as easily get at my local Mac Store, were the t-shirts, hats, water bottles, pens, keyrings, etc. all with the Apple logo on them that one simply can’t get anywhere else. Of course I bought stuff; don’t be silly. (I even got the t-shirt that says “I visited the Mothership,” from which I took the name for this post.) But that isn’t really the point.

The point is, I guess, that I actually got to see some of the place where things like Macs, iPods, Safari, and most of the stuff I use day to day got brainstormed. And while it really won’t change my life all that much (if any), it was neat to simply go and look. I can say “I’ve been there. I’ve seen the Apple campus.” (To which many of you will yawn and say “who cares.”)

But beyond that, there actually was a deeper meaning. It’s called a working vacation. Another poorly kept secret is that we both are in real need of a true vacation (which won’t happen until August), and that we both needed to do things. I work online and really couldn’t take much time off right now. Stuff is backed up rather nastily. Deena had school stuff that had to be done. We both were ragged, dog-tired, and in need of a break from the same-old. Mom needed some help with a few things down south, and so off we went to help her out.

This qualified as a day off from a busy schedule of helping mom out. My regular work sat mostly undoable (no wi-fi connection, which in hindsight was a blessing). This allowed a logjam of pent-up mental stuff to drain-along with some fatigue, some frustration, and a few other buggered emotions. While I was waiting for Deena and her aunt to return, I took a few phone calls, logged some long overdue paperwork, and caught up on some reading. (I also did the few things to her aunt’s Mac that needed doing.) This downtime-which started off by visiting 1 Infinite Loop-was what this doctor needed to do a little brainstorming of his own to help rectify a nasty set of issues. Realistic, workable plans got made and have already been implemented. This has lowered my stress level, and thus will make me more productive.

The only thing that really got changed was perspective. Issues and problems I faced when I left are still there, but now I have some personal resources to deal with them. I’m not totally drained, and if I take care of myself and follow my planning, things should lighten up in roughly two to three weeks.

That change started by taking some down time and visiting “the Mothership.”

Enough for now.

On Shortwave Radio

Shortwave radio listening (or DX’ing) is another hobby, somewhat like stamp collecting, that seems to have fallen on hard times. You can sort of blame this on the internet, I suppose; with stamps, e-mail is the method of choice for sending letters all over. Many nations have figured this out and either reduced their shortwave radio broadcasts, or cut them outright.

As a hobby, it’s not like baseball or football cards in that you can collect a set of them relatively easily as there is a card shop or two in every city, it seems like. The same can be said of comic books; and with both not only is condition a factor, but then, you have to put them somewhere. You try storing ten years of comic books; if you take ten titles a month, that’s 120 issues a year...and that doesn't count back issues!

Nor is is like collecting coins in which you really need to quit looking at your change and start with things like proof sets in order to have a collection worth something. Trust me on this one. You might have a complete set of old wheat ear pennies, but if they look like they went through the mill, they won’t be worth more than about 14 cents each, if that. Better you should collect proof sets.

For openers, to listen to DX programming...you need to have a shortwave radio. They are not cheap; in fact, a really good one will set you back over a hundred and fifty bucks or more. I actually have two: A DAK model DMR-3000 (which is small and digital) and an older Realistic DX-150A (which is a large boxy thing and analog). Both are in really good shape.

You will also need a good antenna; the best one I ever had was about 100 feet of copper wire that ran the length on my folks attic, and out to a tree in the backyard. Currently, I use a small powered antenna with a core made from all that old wire. Not as good, but serviceable.

Then there’s trying to get a signal here. As alluded to before, many nations have cut their DX signals to North America, making it a little harder than before to get a signal worth listening to. With the DMR-3000, I can punch in the frequency and hopefully get something. With the DX-150A, it’s fiddling with the dials and hope it pulls in a signal.

Once you have a signal, you log in your log book the frequency, the time, what you heard, the broadcaster, and several other bits of info. Then you send off to the broadcaster for verification, using your own cash to do so (unless they have an e-submission form). They often will require you, if you want a response, to enclose some sort of remuneration. (It used to be a International Postal Money Order. Today, it may well be PayPal.)

What do you get once you’ve actually logged something and sent off a reception report? If you’re lucky, something called a QSL card. And if you’re really lucky, a few other goodies such as pennants, pins, buttons, patches, etc. (You can click here to see a number of my QSL cards.) Oh, yes--you’ll also be added to the their mailing list for a year or two. Or three.

It sounds easy, but it’s not. Sunspots, weather conditions, time of day, antenna length, signal strength, the number of trees in your way, power lines, and a host of other factors can keep you from getting anything fit to log in.

So, why bother at all?

Well, it can also be fun and somewhat educational. Granted, with the internet you can just go to a country and and see if they have a podcast in English, but that does not teach you things like patience. Fiddling with the knobs on the radio, waiting on the mail, and waiting sometimes for the station ID (especially if you just missed it) teaches one patience. It does not teach you several other things. (True enough, however, listening to a podcast does teach you some about the host nation.)

It also teaches you perseverance. Because every year or so, these QSL cards change designs, many of them. So for some of your favorites, you have to go back and mail a new report, to get a new QSL card. (Of course, some never change. I have several from a DX station that essentially hadn’t changed in ten plus years.)

Every once in awhile, I’ll pull out the DX radio and see what I can catch. Even Canada-which is only 360 miles or so from where I live-isn’t really easy anymore, but I figured I’d start there and see where I could go to after that.

Hmm-makes me wonder where I can get some stamps for an old album I have....

Enough for now.

On Canada and the Winter Olympics

The spectacle that is the Winter Olympics is currently going on in our neighbor’s back yard. (Vancouver is a tad far to be considered our back yard.) Canada so far has been a great host; the US is way ahead in the overall medal count. Though the Canadians haven’t fared too poorly, either. They finally won a gold medal at home, enshrining Alexandre Bilodeau’s name securely in their sporting history forever.

The Olympics are an interesting spectacle. We place all our hopes and dreams on people who represent our country, celebrating their triumphs and mourning their losses as if we were there. We call them our medals, but really...they belong to those who actively participated. We just get to share in their fun, without sacrificing anything except a little money. Well, okay. That and two weeks of our lives where suddenly, we absolutely must win medals in sports we almost never see here outside the Olympics and normally could care less about.

Be honest...when was the last time you saw a Bobsleigh race on the tube here? Or curling? When was the last time you saw anything on ice other than a hockey game or a drink of some extraction?

I didn’t think so.

Time to fess up--I know you don’t follow Ice Dancing at any other time outside of once every four years, and only then if we have a shot at a medal.

Speaking of medals...the US has, in the first week, taken advantage of our neighbors in The Great White North. This comes as a bit of a surprise to me, certainly, as normally we don’t do as well in winter sports. Canada had a program in place to own the podium, and it appears that we beat them to the property so far.

Understand-I am cheering for both countries. I am not ashamed to admit this. I am a bit sick and tired of the Europeans thinking they can just walk in and own the place. (And, as a Cold War Vet, don’t even start me on Russia. Or Korea, for all that.) I’d like to see many more medals coming here, and if not here, to Canada. They deserve any and all medals they get, and more. Bring them home to North America, kids.

About my relationship to the host country: While I do have a sister that was born in Newfoundland, she is and I am American citizens. Make no mistake about that. However...if I had to move to any other country in the world, I think Canada is where I’d want to go. I have friends there (and a shout out to my friends and readers in the Ontario District of the BHS; you know who you are and I thank you for your friendship-especially at Director’s College). I know that every time I have been to Canada, I have been treated well-except for one meal at La Cage Aux Sport at Centre Bell in Montreal.

I have undertaken several trips to Canada, but my last trip to British Columbia was in 1983 on a marching band tour. (I didn’t make it to Vancouver then; I hope to finally rectify that this summer.) The band went to Victoria, located on Vancouver Island. Victoria is every bit as nice as Vancouver (from what I’ve seen of Vancouver on the TV), and maybe just a bit nicer. We were there for the Victoria Day parade, and the Harbour Days festival. I’ve never forgotten that trip.

(Side note: if any of my readers know of anyone who marched in 1980 with Pacific Blue from Surrey, BC please drop me a line. I was virtually adopted into their corps, and have wondered from time to time how people are doing. Not that many would remember my name, and honestly, I don’t remember many of theirs. But I digress.)

Back to the Olympics-I am so mad at NBC. It's bad enough, Boris, that they are keeping America up till all hours (and don’t lecture me about things like DVR’s and TiVo, buster, or you’re staying after class and clapping the erasers). This means I can’t get live Olympic feeds from CTV (who, as part of a consortium, won the rights to the Olympics in Canada) online, because NBC has exclusive rights here in the US. In turn, this also means that, until the games are over, I can’t get a live straight news feed from Canada on either CTV or the CBC online. That is called censorship, and is a topic I’ll blog on later. I hope somebody else gets the contract for the next games; or at least NBC starts them an hour earlier next time. It reeks that I’m in the same time zone as Vancouver, and there’s what-a two to three hour time delay? What’s up with that? It’s just wrong.

Meantime, I’m trying to keep up with the fun sports, like bobsleigh, skeleton, luge, speed skating-and yes, curling-and it’s been made...difficult, shall we say...because most Americans either don’t understand some of these sports, or don’t care to learn. If there's little interest, there's no ratings. No ratings means that they'll show something like Ice Dancing that does draw ratings.

Enough for now.

On the Haitian Earthquake

Wow.

Let me say this again. Wow.

I am so totally stunned by the devastation, by the amount of damage this earthquake laid out on Haiti. This is a chunk of property that runs over 10,000 square miles.

The damage is incredible.

I saw some satellite pictures this morning of the before and after. Things before looked decent in Port-Au-Prince.

And now…gone. It looks like a globebuster bomb hit it.

Just like that. Eradicated. Blessedly little's standing there right now.

Kids, I grew up in earthquake country. I know what it's like to have the earth move under you like that. I remember being in Chicago during the Loma Prieta and Northridge quakes. I know how hard it can be to reach family and friends. I remember seeing the pictures of San Francisco...the chunk of the Bay Bridge down, the Cypress Structure pancaked, the Marina District on fire. Buildings collapsing and rubble all over, from Oakland to Santa Cruz.

That doesn't even cover the Northridge quake.

This is worse, actually, because of the years of kleptocratic government that dates back to when I was in high school. Here in the States, we have gross incompetence and mismanagement in government, but not outright theft.

I don't always ask folks to help-money's tight all over, I understand that. We are all recovering from 2009's stinkin' economy, yours truly included. But find a way to give money, or to do what you can.

Because this goes past bad.

Check out the Red Cross website for donations. Here's the link: www.redcross.org.

If you are a person of prayer, pray for the survivors.

Enough for now.